(Photo Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Cameron Rising, RB/KR Micah Bernard, RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, WR/PR Devaughn Vele, OG Keaton Bills, OT Sataoa Laumea, DE Jonah Elliss, DE Van Fillinger, DE Connor O’Toole, DT Simote Pepa, DT Junior Tafuna, LB Lander Barton, LB Karene Reid, CB JaTravis Broughton, FS Cole Bishop, SS Sione Vaki and PT Jack Bouwmeester.
Key Players Departing:
RB Tavion Thomas, WR Money Parks, TE Dalton Kincaid, OC Paul Maile, OT Braeden Daniels, DE Gabe Reid, LB Mohamoud Diabate, CB Clark Phillips III, DS RJ Hubert, PK Jordan Noyes and PK Jadon Redding.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: PT Spencer Fano (Provo, Utah), CB CJ Blocker (New Caney, Texas), OT Caleb Lomu (Gilbert, Arizona), CB Smith Snowden (Lehi, Utah), EDGE Hunter Clegg (American Fork, Utah), CB Miles Battle (Ole Miss transfer), EDGE Logan Fano (Yale transfer), LB Levani Damuni (Stanford transfer), TE Dallen Bentley (Ephraim, Utah) and RB John Randle Jr. (Wichita, Kansas).
2022 Results:
G01 @ Florida L 26-29
G02 SOUTHERN UTAH W 73-7
G03 SAN DIEGO STATE W 35-7
G04 @ Arizona State W 34-13
G05 OREGON STATE W 42-16
G06 @ #18 UCLA L 32-42
G07 #7 USC W 43-42
G08 @ Washington State W 21-17
G09 ARIZONA W 45-20
G10 STANFORD W 42-7
G11 @ #12 Oregon L 17-20
G12 @ Colorado W 63-21
P12 vs. #4 USC W 47-24
BOWL vs. Penn State L 21-35
Team Info:
2022 Record: 10-4 (4th in PAC-12/PAC-12 Champions)
Home: 6-0
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-1
P12: 7-2
Non-P12: 3-2
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham
Utah: 157-74
Career: 157-74
Bowls: 11-5
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Cameron Rising (249-385, 3034 yards, 64.7%, 7.9 avg., 26 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing: Micah Bernard (106 car., 533 yards, 5.0 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Devaughn Vele (55 rec., 695 yards, 12.6 avg., 5 TD)
TD’s Scored: Ja’Quinden Jackson (9)
Sacks: Van Fillinger/Karene Reid (5)
Interceptions: Cole Bishop/Karene Reid/Junior Tafuna (1)
Pass Deflections: Zemaiah Vaughn (9)
Tackles For Loss: Karene Reid (9.5)
Forced Fumbles: Jonah Elliss (2)
Kick Returns: Micah Bernard (3 ret., 79 yards, 26.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Devaughn Vele (26 ret., 246 yards, 9.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kickers: None
Punters: Jack Bouwmeester (39 punts, 1528 yards, 39.2 avg., 17 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Cameron Rising (RS SR/TR)
RB: 3 Ja’Quinden Jackson (RS SO/TR)
WR: 10 Money Parks (JR)
WR: 17 Devaughn Vele (RS JR)
WR: 5 Mycah Pittman (RS SR/TR)
TE: 87 Thomas Yassmin (RS SR)
LT: 55 Spencer Fano (FR)
LG: 51 Keaton Bills (RS JR)
OC: 53 Johnny Maea (SR)
RG: 52 Michael Mokofisi (RS SO)
RT: 78 Sataoa Laumea (RS JR)
KR: 28 Sione Vaki (SO)
PK: 36 Cole Becker (JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 81 Connor O’Toole (JR)
DT: 58 Junior Tafuna (JR)
DT: 57 Keanu Tanuvasa (RS FR)
DE: 7 Van Fillinger (RS JR)
LB: 21 Karene Reid (JR)
LB: 3 Levani Damuni (RS JR/TR)
NB: 15 Tao Johnson (RS FR)
CB: 4 Ja’Travis Broughton (SR)
CB: 5 Zemaiah Vaughn (JR)
FS: 8 Cole Bishop (JR)
SS: 28 Sione Vaki (SO)
PR: 5 Mycah Pittman (RS SR/TR)
PT: 34 Jack Bouwmeester (SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 FLORIDA GATORS | Utah trails the series 0-2. Last season’s 26-29 loss was the first meeting between schools since 1977.
09/09 @ Baylor Bears | First meeting between schools.
09/16 WEBER STATE WILDCATS | Utah leads the series 4-0. The Utes won (70-7) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/23 UCLA BRUINS | Utah trails the series 8-12. The Utes are 6-3 since 2013 and their last series win (44-24) was in 2021.
09/29 @ Oregon State Beavers | The series is tied 12-12-1. The Utes are 6-2 since 2013 and their last series loss (34-42) was in 2021.
10/14 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS | The series is tied 6-6. The Utes won (35-0) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/21 @ USC Trojans | Utah trails the series 9-13. The Utes are 6-5 since 2013 and their last series loss (17-33) was in 2020.
10/28 OREGON DUCKS | Utah trails the series 12-24. The Utes are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (38-10) was in 2021.
11/04 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | Utah trails the series 11-22. The Utes are 5-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (20-38) was in 2018.
11/11 @ Washington Huskies | Utah trails the series 2-13. The Utes lost (21-24) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
11/18 @ Arizona Wildcats | Utah leads the series 26-19-2. The Utes are 6-3 since 2013 and their last series loss (30-37 OT) was in 2015.
11/25 COLORADO BUFFALOES | Utah leads the series 34-32-3. The Utes are 9-1 since 2013 and their last series loss (22-27) was in 2016.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Away: 4-1
Neutral: 0-1
P12: 8-1
Non-P12: 3-1
Overall: 11-2 (1st in PAC12 South)
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